NewzIntel.com

Category: Latin America

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Colleagues Introduce Measure to Extend Trade Program with Haiti

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Rick Scott (R-FL), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension (HELP) Act to extend trade benefits for apparel products produced in Haiti from 2025 to 2035. The products that are eligible for these benefits comprise 93% of Haitian exports and are a vital source of dignified employment for thousands of Haitians, who would otherwise turn to violent gangs for employment or seek to enter the United States illegally. 
    “Over the years, Haitian families have been devasted by natural disasters and political unrest,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Extending trade benefits is good for the U.S. and the Haitian people who need resources and jobs.”
    “America is safer and better off when our neighbors are thriving,” said Senator Warnock. “That’s why I was proud to lead this bipartisan effort to strengthen Haiti’s economic future and stability. This bill is a win-win for Georgians and the people of Haiti. It will promote a better future for us all and shows what is possible when we center the people in policymaking.”
    “Originally a lifeline to Haiti in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, the Haiti Economic Lift Program has helped the nation economically by stimulating trade between Haiti and the U.S.,” said Senator Durbin. “As Haiti continues to face economic hardship and political unrest, we should extend its provisions by passing the bipartisan HELP Extension Act.”
    In the aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Congress passed the HELP Act to broaden the types of goods eligible for duty free status to over 5,000 types of apparel and footwear. The law, which helped rebuild some of Haiti’s domestic industry, is set to expire in 2025.
    Background.
    In December 2021, Cassidy and former U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced legislation to reauthorize the Haitian Hemisphere Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act. In 2021 and 2023, they reintroduced the HELP act.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two previously deported individuals charged with illegal re-entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y. –Acting U.S. Attorney Joel Louis Violanti announced today that Manuel Alejandro Estrada-Gonzalez, 31, of Mexico, and Juan Carlos Castro-Cidcas, 44, of El Salvador, were arrested and charged in separate complaints with illegal re-entry after deportation, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron J. Mango and Charles M. Kruly, who are handling the cases, stated that according to the complaint against Manuel Alejandro Estrada-Gonzalez, on February 20, 2025, Estrada-Gonzalez was identified as a suspected illegal alien staying at the Buffalo Airport Inn in Cheektowaga, NY. U.S. Border Patrol Agents surveilled the area and located Estrada-Gonzales. He was arrested at the scene. A records check determined that Estrada-Gonzales was ordered removed by an immigration officer twice, once in January 2019,  and a second time in February 2019.

    According to the complaint against Juan Carlos Castro-Cidcas, on February 11, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol Agents were conducting surveillance in Cheektowaga. A records check of a vehicle parked at the Hilton Garden Inn came back to an illegal alien from El Salvador, later identified as Castra-Cidcas. On February 12, 2025, agents returned to the area to conduct further surveillance and spotted him getting into the vehicle. Agents approached Castra-Cidcas but he refused to exit the vehicle. He did exit the vehicle after Cheektowaga Police were called, at which time he was taken into custody. A records check determined that Castra-Cidcas was previously removed from the country in August 2010, and November 2019.

    Estrada-Gonzalez and Castro-Cidcas made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and were detained.

    The complaint is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge Martin B. Coombs, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement by UNFPA Executive Director on the United States Government funding cuts

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, notes with deep regret the termination of all funding agreements by the United States Government. These 48 grants, totalling approximately $377 million, were awarded for UNFPA to provide critical maternal health care, protection from violence, rape treatment and other life-saving care in over 25 crisis-stricken countries, including Afghanistan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, Haiti, Mali, Sudan, Syria and Ukraine.

    The vast majority of US funding supported UNFPA’s work in emergency settings. The termination includes 16 grants for which UNFPA had received a humanitarian waiver.

    Over the last four years, these life-saving investments prevented more than 17,000 maternal deaths, 9 million unintended pregnancies and nearly 3 million unsafe abortions by expanding access to voluntary family planning. And we reached over 13 million women and young people with sexual and reproductive health services like cervical cancer screening, contraception counselling, and prenatal and safe childbirth care. 

    This devastating decision will force thousands of health clinics to close. Women in crisis zones will be forced to give birth without medicines, midwives or equipment, putting their lives and their babies’ lives in jeopardy. Rape survivors will be denied counselling and medical care. Midwives delivering babies in the world’s worst humanitarian crises will lose their ability to function. Shipments of life-saving medical supplies to refugee camps will be disrupted.

    UNFPA hopes that the US Government will reconsider its stance and retain its position as a global leader working in partnership with UNFPA to alleviate the suffering of women and their families, often as a result of catastrophes not of their own making.

    So much good has been achieved during our more than five decades of close collaboration with the USA, a founding partner. With US support, UNFPA has helped strengthen health systems, save the lives of women, adolescent girls and newborns, and improve the economic prospects of families, communities and countries. 

    Countless studies show that investments in voluntary family planning and reproductive health lead to hundreds of billions in economic returns as girls continue their education and women rise through the workforce. This, in turn, contributes to the peace and prosperity people in the United States and around the world depend on.

    As committed humanitarians and human rights defenders, we at UNFPA will continue to work tirelessly with Member States, UN agencies and local partners, including women and youth-led organizations, to ensure the safety, dignity and freedom of every woman and girl. While circumstances and funding decisions may vary, our mandate and mission remain.

    • You will find a full list of the projects supported by the USA that have been terminated here.
    • For interview requests please contact Eddie Wright (based in NYC): ewright@unfpa.org; +1 917 831 2074

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Files Second Motion to Enforce Against Trump Administration Amid Ongoing Disruptions to Certain FEMA Funding

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, leading a coalition of 23 states, asked the District Court for the District of Rhode Island to enforce its temporary restraining order (TRO) stopping the Trump Administration from implementing its unlawful federal funding freeze as to certain Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding. The court granted an earlier motion to enforce amid reports of ongoing disruptions to infrastructure and energy funding. Still, despite multiple court orders, the Trump Administration has continued to block access hundreds of millions of dollars nationally in FEMA funding for critical emergency preparedness and recovery programs to address wildfires, floods, cybersecurity threats, and more.

    “We have been closely monitoring the Trump Administration’s compliance with a court order stopping its radical and unlawful funding freeze,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Despite clear instructions form the court, some states are continuing to experience disruptions in accessing vital FEMA funding. We’re again asking the court to enforce its order and ensure that the Trump Administration immediately reinstates access to this funding for states across the country.”

    In California, the motion to enforce addresses a FEMA grant awarded in 2022 to the Governor’s Office of Land Use & Climate Innovation under the National Flood Insurance Program, which was placed on hold on February 21, 2025. 

    BACKGROUND

    Last month, a coalition of 23 attorneys general, led by the attorneys general of California, New York, Rhode Island, Illinois, and Massachusetts, sued the Trump Administration over its attempt to freeze up to $3 trillion in vital federal funding. The U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island quickly granted the attorneys general’s request for a temporary restraining order, blocking the freeze’s implementation until further order from the court. Soon after, the attorneys general filed motions for enforcement and a preliminary injunction to stop the illegal freeze and preserve federal funding that Congress appropriated and that families, communities, and states rely on. The court granted the motion for enforcement, ordering the Administration to immediately comply with the temporary restraining order and stop unlawfully freezing federal funds. 

    In just this fiscal year, California is expected to receive $168 billion in federal funds – 34% of the state’s budget – not including funding for the state’s public college and university system. This includes $107.5 billion in funding for California’s Medicaid programs, which serve approximately 14.5 million Californians, including 5 million children and 2.3 million seniors and people with disabilities. Additionally, over 9,000 full-time equivalent state employee positions are federally funded.

    Attorney General Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin in the seeking the preliminary injunction.   

    A copy of the motion to enforce is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: El Salvador National Previously Convicted Of Double Homicide Charged With Illegally Reentering The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A citizen of El Salvador who was previously convicted for double homicide and sentenced to 50 years in prison in El Salvador, was charged with illegally reentering the United States, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    César Eliseo Sorto-Amaya, 28, was charged today by complaint with illegally reentering the United States and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal Court.

    According to documents filed in this case, public statements and statements made in court:

    Since 2015, Sorto-Amaya was deported from and illegally returned to the United States three separate times, including one time where he was deported after being convicted of weapons possession charges in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In April 2024, Sorto-Amaya was convicted in abstentia in El Salvador of double aggravated homicide and sentenced to 50 years in prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris, and law enforcement authorities in El Salvador, with the investigation.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.

    The charges and allegations contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

                                                   ###

    Defense counsel: Carol Dominguez, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Announces Eight FBI Subjects from Mexico in U.S. Custody

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    he FBI is announcing eight men, including two former FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, who were transferred into U.S. custody from Mexico this week. All are key subjects of FBI investigations spanning several states.

    Rafael Caro Quintero is a former FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive wanted for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Enrique Camarena Salazar in 1985. Caro‐Quintero is widely regarded as one of the Mexican godfathers of drug trafficking and helped to form the Guadalajara Cartel in the late 1970s. Allegedly, he became one of the primary suppliers of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana to the U.S., and oversaw the cartel in Costa Rica and the U.S. and Mexico border. Quintero will face charges in the Eastern District of New York. This case was investigated by the FBI San Antonio Field Office.

    Alder Marin Sotelo faces homicide charges related to the killing of law enforcement officer. On August 23, 2022, Marin-Sotelo was indicted on a charge of first-degree murder following the August 11, 2022, death of Deputy Ned Byrd of the Wake County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Office. Sotelo will face federal weapons charges in the Middle District of North Carolina and state murder charges in the North Carolina State Court. This case was investigated by the FBI Charlotte Field Office.

    Jose Rodolfo Villareal-Hernández, also known as “El Gato,” is a former FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive allegedly responsible for stalking and orchestrating the murder-for-hire of a 43-year-old male victim on May 22, 2013, in Southlake, Texas. Villarreal-Hernandez previously held a high-level position in the Beltran-Leyva Organization (BLO) Drug Cartel. He is believed to have overseen the importation of large quantities of cocaine into the United States as well as committing violent acts within the Republic of Mexico and the United States to maintain his organization’s power and status. He was arrested on January 7, 2023, in Atizapán de Zaragoza, Mexico and will face charges in the Northern District of Texas for interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. This case was investigated by the FBI Dallas Field Office.

    Jose Angel Canobbio-Inzunza, also known as “Guerito,” was a key leader and the finance manager of the Sinaloa Cartel’s Los Chapitos faction. He allegedly trafficked narcotics, controlled an armed enforcement group, and managed corrupt relationships on the cartel’s behalf. He will face narcotrafficking charges out of the Northern District of Illinois. The subject was arrested last week in Sinaloa by the Mexican Army. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington and San Diego Field Offices.

    Rodolfo Lopez Ibarra is facing drug-trafficking charges with up to life imprisonment out of the District of Columbia. This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office.

    Andrew Clark, a Canadian citizen residing in Mexico, allegedly ran and participated in a transnational drug trafficking operation that routinely shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia—through Mexico and Southern California—to Canada and other locations in the United States. Clark is being prosecuted for four murders and one attempted murder, and will face charges in the Central District of California. This case was investigated by the FBI Los Angeles Field Office.

    Luis Geraldo Méndez Estevane is facing several federal charges, including murder, racketeering, and drug conspiracy in the Western District of Texas. Mendez was a high-ranking Barrio Azteca lieutenant and responsible for the March 13, 2010, murder of two U.S. consulate employees in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and an El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Detention Officer. Mendez was indicted in the Western District of Texas. This case was investigated by the FBI El Paso Field Office.

    Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, the former leader of the Juarez Cartel, faces narcotrafficking charges in the Eastern District of New York. Fuentes is responsible for the trafficking of narcotics into the United States. He also assisted in perpetrating significant violence throughout Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, area. The case was investigated by the FBI El Paso Field Office.

    “The FBI and our partners will scour the ends of the earth to bring terrorists and cartel members to justice,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The era of harming Americans and walking free is over.”

    Significant and vital assistance was provided by the FBI’s valued international, federal, state, and local law enforcement partners across the country.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: HUMBL, Inc. Announces $2 Million Share Exchange Agreement and Strategic Partnership With NUBURU, Inc. to Accelerate Growth and Shareholder Value

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    San Diego, CA, Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HUMBL, Inc. (OTC: HMBL) announced the execution of a $2,000,000 Equity Swap Agreement and strategic partnership with NUBURU, Inc. (NYSE: BURU) designed to accelerate both companies’ growth strategies and deliver immediate value to shareholders.

    Transaction Details

    Under the terms of the Equity Swap Agreement:

    • NUBURU will issue $2,000,000 in common stock to HUMBL (subject to applicable exchange cap, stockholder approval, and registration requirements); and
    • HUMBL will issue an equal dollar amount of Series C Preferred Stock to NUBURU.

    Following satisfaction of any required stockholder or regulatory approvals and registration requirements, it is anticipated that 70% of the shares of NUBURU will be distributed to the stockholders of HUMBL as a dividend. The issuance of the shares by both parties is contingent upon both parties obtaining any required regulatory or stockholder approval and satisfying any applicable registration requirements.

    The companies have also entered into a Master Distribution Agreement, appointing HUMBL as the exclusive distributor in Brazil for both NUBURU’s existing business and its recently announced defense and security portfolio companies. The parties may also negotiate in the future performance-based incentives that would allow HUMBL to expand its exclusivity to all of Latin America upon achieving certain revenue and market penetration targets.

    Strategic Alignment for Accelerated Growth

    “This partnership represents the convergence of two companies with newly transformed business models and leadership teams,” said Thiago Moura, CEO of HUMBL, Inc. “NUBURU, under its new management team, is expanding its business within its defense and security portfolio into new markets. HUMBL, having divested its Web3 assets and transformed into a Berkshire-inspired holding company in partnership with Ybyra Capital, is now executing a shareholder-centric strategy focused on cross-border strategic partnerships and value creation.”

    Alessandro Zamboni, Executive Chairman of NUBURU, Inc., stated: “This partnership with HUMBL provides NUBURU shareholders with dual benefits – exclusive distribution in Brazil’s robust market with potential for all of Latin America, and exposure to HUMBL and Ybyra Capital’s extensive regional network. Our entirely new management team is focused on rapid expansion, and this partnership enables us to leverage HUMBL and Ybyra’s established presence in Brazil to accelerate the deployment of our defense and security portfolio.”

    The alliance builds on NUBURU’s established track record of technological excellence and HUMBL’s revitalized presence in emerging markets, bolstered by Ybyra’s regional expertise and substantial real assets.

    About HUMBL, Inc. (OTC: HMBL)

    HUMBL, Inc. has transformed into a strategic holding company, operating with a business model focused on high-value joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions, and progressive economic structures. Following the divestiture of its Web3 technology assets, HUMBL has pivoted to a shareholder value-centric approach under the leadership of CEO Thiago Moura, principal of Ybyra Capital—a Brazilian holding company with diversified investments in real estate, commodities, and mining. The company’s unique structure enables it to create two-way distribution pipelines throughout Brazil and Latin America, leveraging Ybyra Capital’s established regional presence to offer strategic partners immediate access to these valuable markets.

    About NUBURU, Inc. (NYSE: BURU)

    NUBURU, Inc. was founded in 2015 as a developer and manufacturer of industrial blue laser technology that is transforming the speed and quality of laser-based manufacturing. Under its new management team led by Executive Chairman Alessandro Zamboni, NUBURU is executing a comprehensive growth and diversification strategy, expanding into complementary domains such as defense-tech, security, and operational resilience solutions. Headquartered in Centennial, Colorado, NUBURU is leveraging strategic partnerships and acquisitions to accelerate growth in high-value sectors. For more information, visit www.nuburu.net.

    Investor and Media Contacts

    NUBURU, Inc. (NYSE: BURU)
    Investor Relations: alessandro.zamboni@nuburu.net
    Media Contact: press@nuburu.net
    Website: www.nuburu.net

    HUMBL, Inc. (OTC: HMBL)
    Investor Relations: ri@ybyracapital.com.br
    Media Contact: media@humbl.com
    Website: www.humbl.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include descriptions of the future strategic plans and growth expectations for HUMBL, including the potential benefits of their partnership, anticipated market expansions, and any statements regarding potential uplisting or future exchange listings. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “could,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current information and expectations, and actual results may differ materially due to various risks and uncertainties. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the ability of HUMBL to successfully collaborate and realize the expected synergies of the partnership, market acceptance of new initiatives, regulatory approvals and compliance related to registration, exchange listings, economic conditions in the industries in which they operate, and general market volatility. HUMBL disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release, except as required by law. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican Cartel Leader Jesus Mendez-Vargas In U.S. Custody On Drug Importation Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jesus Mendez-Vargas Was a Leader of the Ruthless La Familia Michoacana Cartel’s Narcotics Trafficking Enterprise, Responsible for Importing Vast Quantities of Methamphetamine and Cocaine into the United States

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Frank A. Tarentino, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JESUS MENDEZ-VARGAS, a/k/a “Chango,” with conspiring to import cocaine and methamphetamine into the U.S.  MENDEZ-VARGAS was taken into U.S. custody from Mexico and was presented on the charge contained in the Indictment today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl. 

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Jesus Mendez-Vargas was a leader of the violent drug trafficking organization, La Familia Michoacana, based in Mexico, with primary responsibility for the organization’s drug trafficking activities from approximately 2006 to 2011.  La Familia imported vast quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico and engaged in extensive violence in furtherance of its drug trafficking activities, including against those Mexican law enforcement officials who stood in its way.  This Office and our law enforcement partners will not stop working to see that those who lead violent drug trafficking organizations are met with the consequences of their actions. Mendez-Vargas will now face justice in an American courtroom.”

    DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino said: “The indictment against Jesus Mendez-Vargas, leader of La Familia Michoacana cartel is another example of the DEA’s determination to identify, target and eliminate drug traffickers poisoning our communities with fentanyl and methamphetamine. This removal demonstrates the New York Division’s relentless pursuit and unwavering commitment to hold accountable those who endanger our communities and traffic violence and drugs across our borders.”

    According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:1

    MENDEZ-VARGAS was a leader in La Familia Michoacana (“LFM”), a powerful, violent drug trafficking organization based in the state of Michoacan, in southwestern Mexico.  LFM controlled drug manufacturing and distribution within and around the state of Michoacan, as well as the port of Lazaro Cardenas, a key drug transshipment point.  LFM imported vast quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into the U.S. from Mexico. LFM leadership forbade the sale or use of methamphetamine in the areas under its control in Mexico, and instructed LFM members that its methamphetamine was solely for export to the U.S.  From approximately 2006 to 2011, MENDEZ-VARGAS was a leader of LFM, with primary responsibility for LFM’s drug trafficking activities.

    LFM engaged in violence, including assault, murder, and kidnapping to support its narcotics trafficking activities.  LFM also used heavy weaponry, including military-grade weapons, assault weapons, and ammunition smuggled from the U.S. to Mexico by LFM’s associates for use by LFM.  On or about July 14, 2009, approximately two days after the arrest of a high-level LFM leader, the bodies of 12 Mexican federal police officers believed to have been murdered were discovered in Michoacan.  Days later, another member of LFM contacted a local television station in Michoacan and, among other things, claimed that LFM was in a battle against the Mexican federal police and prosecutors, and that LFM kidnaps people who owed LFM money and those whose family members worked in state and federal governments.

    *               *                *

    MENDEZ-VARGAS, 51, of Mexico, is charged with conspiring to import cocaine and methamphetamine into the U.S., which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.

    The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s New York Field Division, as well as the assistance of the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and the U.S. Marshals Service.

    This prosecution is part of an OCDETF operation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.  The OCDETF New York Strike Force provides for the establishment of permanent, multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location.  This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.  The specific mission of the New York Strike Force is to target, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, reduce the illegal drug supply in the United States, and bring criminals to justice.

    This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Jane Y. Chong, Sarah L. Kushner, Alexander N. Li, Daniel G. Nessim, David J. Robles, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution.

    The charge contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
     

    1 As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan citizen charged for failing to register as a sex offender and illegally returning after deportation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TACOMA – A 25-year-old Guatemalan man will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Tacoma today for failing to register or update his sex offender registration and re-entering the U.S. following deportation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Juan Hernandez Zacharias was arrested in Mason County this morning by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigation agents.

    Zackarias is charged by criminal complaint with two felonies. The first, failure to register or update his sex offender registration, relates to his sentencing in October 2022 for first degree child molestation. The sentencing documents advise Zackarias that should he leave the state, he must register as a sex offender within three days of returning. Zackarias allegedly did not register as required.

    The second charge, reentry of a removed alien, relates to Zackarias’ return following deportation. On January 2, 2024, Zackarias had a removal hearing in Immigration Court. He was ordered removed and on February 4, 2024, he was removed from the United States and transported to Guatemala.

    However, on May 16, 2024, Zackarias registered a white van with Washington State plates in his name – indicating that he had returned to Washington.

    On December 6, 2024, Zackarias was arrested by Mason County Sheriff’s deputies for failing to register as a sex offender. The arrest was logged in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). The NCIC system alerted ICE Homeland Security Investigations that Zackarias has an order of removal in place. The federal criminal complaint was sworn and filed with Magistrate Judge David W. Christal on February 21, 2025.

    Failure to register or update sex offender registration is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Reentry of a removed alien is punishable by up to two years in prison.

    The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    The case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean Waite and Special Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Collins. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Statement On President Trump’s Oval Office Remarks To Ukrainian President Zelenskyy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    February 28, 2025
    ROCKFORD – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today released the following statement after President Trump and Vice President Vance’s tense and embarrassing meeting in the Oval Office with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy:
    “After calling the President of Ukraine ‘a dictator’ and blaming him for invading his own country, President Trump and Vice President Vance berated President Zelenskyy for not showing enough gratitude. With 46,000 Ukrainians fallen in battle against the real invader, Vladimir Putin, the Unites States should be thanking President Zelenskyy for Ukraine’s heroic stand on the frontlines of democracy against the Russian war criminal. 
    “Former President Ronald Reagan and the late Senator John McCain are rolling over in their graves at the thought of an American president sullying America’s image by siding at the UN with dictators in Russia, North Korea, Belarus, and Nicaragua while disrespecting a true American ally—Ukraine. Let me be clear: We cannot let President Trump rewrite history or upend proven partnerships with decades of bipartisan support. I extend my sincere apologies to President Zelenskyy and again reaffirm my support for our Ukrainian friends.”
    Earlier this week, Durbin introduced the Protecting our Guests During Hostilities in Ukraine Act, legislation that would provide temporary guest status to Ukrainians and their immediate family members who are already in the United States through the “Uniting for Ukraine” parole process. The bill allows Ukrainians to stay and work in the U.S. until the Secretary of State determines that hostilities in Ukraine have ceased and it is safe for them to return. U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Alex Padilla (D-CA) are cosponsors of the legislation. Bill text can be found here.  
    Durbin also joined U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and others in leading a simple resolution this week that expresses continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine and condolences for the loss of thousands of lives to Russian aggression; rejects Russia’s attempts to militarily seize sovereign Ukrainian territory; reaffirms U.S. support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine; and states unequivocally that Ukraine must be at the table for negotiations on its future.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: High-Ranking Member of Violent Mexican Drug Cartel Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: US State of California

    A Mexican national and high-ranking, violent member of the Los Zetas cartel pleaded guilty today to conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana destined for the United States.

    According to court documents, Jaime Gonzalez-Duran, also known as Hummer, 49, was an original member of Los Zetas, a drug trafficking organization comprised of former Mexican military officers that began as an armed militaristic wing of the Gulf Cartel. Los Zetas later formed an alliance with the Gulf Cartel, and they collectively operated under the name “The Company.” Gonzalez-Duran, a high-ranking member of Los Zetas, served as a plaza boss in the city of Miguel Aleman, Mexico, controlling the Company’s drug-trafficking activities in and through that area, and, later, as a regional commander in the cities of Nuevo Laredo, Miguel Aleman, and Reynosa, Mexico, supervising dozens of Los Zetas members in the region. In his roles, Gonzalez-Duran bribed law enforcement officers to ensure drug loads would not be disturbed; maintained weapons, explosives, and ammunitions caches; and committed acts of violence against rival drug trafficking groups during conflicts for control over drug plazas and trafficking routes. Gonzalez-Duran was personally responsible for the importation into the United States of more than 450 kilograms of cocaine and 90,000 kilograms of marijuana.

    Gonzalez-Duran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine and marijuana for unlawful importation into the United States from Mexico. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Field Division made the announcement.

    The DEA Houston Field Division investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and October 2022 extradition of Gonzalez Duran.

    Trial Attorneys Tara Arndt and Jayce Born and Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

    The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strength of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: High-Ranking Member of Violent Mexican Drug Cartel Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Mexican national and high-ranking, violent member of the Los Zetas cartel pleaded guilty today to conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana destined for the United States.

    According to court documents, Jaime Gonzalez-Duran, also known as Hummer, 49, was an original member of Los Zetas, a drug trafficking organization comprised of former Mexican military officers that began as an armed militaristic wing of the Gulf Cartel. Los Zetas later formed an alliance with the Gulf Cartel, and they collectively operated under the name “The Company.” Gonzalez-Duran, a high-ranking member of Los Zetas, served as a plaza boss in the city of Miguel Aleman, Mexico, controlling the Company’s drug-trafficking activities in and through that area, and, later, as a regional commander in the cities of Nuevo Laredo, Miguel Aleman, and Reynosa, Mexico, supervising dozens of Los Zetas members in the region. In his roles, Gonzalez-Duran bribed law enforcement officers to ensure drug loads would not be disturbed; maintained weapons, explosives, and ammunitions caches; and committed acts of violence against rival drug trafficking groups during conflicts for control over drug plazas and trafficking routes. Gonzalez-Duran was personally responsible for the importation into the United States of more than 450 kilograms of cocaine and 90,000 kilograms of marijuana.

    Gonzalez-Duran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine and marijuana for unlawful importation into the United States from Mexico. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Field Division made the announcement.

    The DEA Houston Field Division investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and October 2022 extradition of Gonzalez Duran.

    Trial Attorneys Tara Arndt and Jayce Born and Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

    The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strength of federal, state, and local enforcement agencies. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cartel Boss Tied to Southlake Murder-for-Hire Among Defendants Extradited From Mexico

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Among the 29 cartel bosses extradited from Mexico to the United States on Thursday was Northern District of Texas defendant Jose Rodolfo Villarreal Hernandez, aka “El Gato,” announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham. 

    Mr. Villarreal Hernandez, a Mexican national who held a high-level position in the Beltran-Leyva Organization (BLO) Drug Cartel, was charged in June 2018 with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire in the brutal slaying of a 43-year-old Southlake, Texas lawyer in 2013. 

    He was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List in October 2020 and arrested by Mexican law enforcement agents in Atizapán de Zaragoza, Mexico in January 2023.

    Attorney General Pam Bondi announced his successful extradition yesterday, pledging to prosecute all extradited cartel bosses “to the fullest extent of the law in honor of the brave law enforcement agents who have dedicated their careers — and in some cases, given their lives — to protect innocent people from the scourge of violent cartels.” 

    Mr. Villarreal Hernandez will make his initial appearance in federal court next week.

    According to evidence presented at the trial of his coconspirators, Mr. Villarreal Hernandez allegedly directed and financed a multi-year effort to locate and assassinate his victim, an attorney with ties to a rival cartel. Testimony revealed that Mr. Villarreal Hernandez allegedly believed the attorney was involved with the death of Mr. Villarreal Hernandez’s father and wanted revenge. 

    The victim was shot while sitting in the passenger seat of his vehicle outside an upscale shopping center in  Southlake on May 22, 2013. His wife was standing near the driver’s side door when her husband was killed. 

    Three men who, acting on orders from Mr. Villarreal Hernandez, tracked the victim prior to his death were convicted and sentenced in 2016: Jose Luis Cepeda-Cortes and Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Cepeda were convicted at trial of interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire; Mr. Cepeda-Cortez was also convicted of tampering with documents or proceedings. Both men received life sentences. Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Campano, son of Mr. Ledezma-Cepeda, pleaded guilty prior to trial to one count of interstate stalking and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

    A fourth defendant, Ramon Villarreal-Hernandez, the brother of Jose Rodolfo, was arrested in Mexico and extradited to the United States in 2020. He pleaded guilty to interstate stalking in June 2022 and was sentenced to ten years in prison.

    According to the U.S. State Department, in addition to allegedly ordering the Southlake murder, Mr. Villarreal Hernandez is believed to have overseen the importation of large quantities of cocaine into the United States as well as committing violent acts within the Republic of Mexico and the United States to maintain his organization’s power and status.

    “After more than a decade, Mr. Villarreal Hernandez will have to answer for his alleged crimes in an American courtroom,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “Since the victim was gunned down in a public parking lot in 2013, law enforcement’s commitment to this case has never wavered. I extend my sincere thanks to the federal, state, local, and international partners who have pulled together to ensure this defendant will be brought to justice.”

    An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Villarreal Hernandez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

    The statutory maximum penalty for interstate stalking is life in prison; the statutory maximum for the murder-for-hire charge is life in prison or death.

    The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, with assistance from the Southlake Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, US. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, the Fort Worth Police Department, and the Grapevine Police Department. The  Mexican Secretariat of the Navy, Fiscalía Generalde la República (FGR), Coordinación Nacional Antisecuestro (CONASE) coordinated in the arrest of Mr. Villarreal-Hernandez.  The U.S. Marshal Service for the Northern District of Texas assisted in securing the defendant upon his arrival in Texas. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Mexico City, and the U.S. Marshals Mexico City Foreign Field Office provided valuable assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Burgess (fmr) and Aisha Saleem prosecuted the case against Mr. Luis Cepeda-Cortes, Mr. Ledezma-Cepeda, and Mr. Ledezma-Campano. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn Smith and Laura Montes are prosecuting the case against Mr. Villarreal Hernandez.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Co-Leader of Transnational Drug Trafficking Organization Arrives in the U.S. to Face Federal Narcotics and Murder Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – An alleged leader of a transnational drug trafficking enterprise co-helmed by former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has been sent to the United States from Mexico to face federal charges alleging that he ran a continuing criminal enterprise, committed murder and attempted murder, and conspired to possess, distribute, and export cocaine, the Justice Department announced today. 

    Andrew Clark, 34, a Canadian citizen who was residing in Mexico, was arrested by Mexican authorities in October 2024 and is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday in United States District Court in Phoenix on charges contained in a 16-count superseding indictment out of the Central District of California. Alongside Wedding, Clark allegedly controlled a billion-dollar drug enterprise with supply routes that transported ton-quantities of cocaine from Colombia to Canada by way of Mexico and Southern California.

    From March to August 2024, Wedding and Clark allegedly conspired with others to export, possess, and distribute more than 1,800 kilograms of cocaine. In addition, using a network of virtual currency wallets, Wedding, Clark, and their co-conspirators transferred approximately a quarter of a billion dollars from April to September 2024. In one day, investigators seized more than $3 million dollars from one cryptocurrency wallet. 

    “The defendant, as described in the superseding indictment, played a key role in running a violent, international drug trafficking organization that was responsible for multiple murders,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “We are grateful to have him in the United States where he will face justice. When law enforcement officials around the globe work together, there is nowhere criminals can hide.”

    The superseding indictment alleges that Wedding and Clark, whose aliases include “The Dictator,” directed the November 20, 2023, murders of two individuals and the attempted murder of a third victim in Ontario, Canada. Wedding and Clark also allegedly ordered the murder of a fourth individual on May 18, 2024. Clark and another co-defendant are also charged with the April 1, 2024, murder of a fifth individual in Ontario, Canada.

    Clark is the second-named defendant in the superseding indictment that charges a total of 16 defendants. With Clark’s expected court appearance, a total of eight defendants will have been arraigned in this case. Clark’s co-conspirators are scheduled to begin trial on May 6.

    An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

    If convicted, Clark would face a mandatory minimum penalty of life in federal prison on the continuing criminal enterprise charge. The murder and attempted murder charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The drug trafficking charges carry mandatory minimum penalties of 10 years in prison.

    The FBI investigated this matter with the Los Angeles Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Field Division, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Federal Policing. In addition, significant assistance was provided by U.S. law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations – Detroit and United States Customs and Border Protection – Buffalo; Canadian law enforcement partners, including Niagara Regional Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Toronto Police Service, and Peel Regional Police; Mexican law enforcement partners, including the Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía General de la República) and the Criminal Investigation Agency (Agencia de Investigación Criminal); and Colombian law enforcement partners, including Colombian National Police – Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol, Special Interagency Investigation Group (Policía Nacional de Colombia – Dirección de Investigación Criminal e Interpol, Grupo Especial de Investigación Interagenciales). This investigation was conducted with the support of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).

    Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi Allsop and Maria Jhai of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Ryan Waters of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office announces 4 defendants charged with violating immigration crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio announced today new immigration charges in four cases in the District.

    Task force agents arrested Alberto Caiceros-Cruz, 40, after observing him leave his residence in Columbus and drive a vehicle with no registration displayed. Caiceros-Cruz is a Mexican national and was most recently removed from the United States in 2022.

    On Tuesday, a federal grand jury in Columbus indicted an El Salvadoran national with illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of sex offenses and a Honduran national with illegally possessing firearms.

    Carlos Gonzales-Hernandez, 55, was detained in January 2025 following a traffic stop in Madison County. He was then transferred into ICE custody. The defendant had been removed from the United States following a local prison sentence for sex offenses. Gonzales-Hernandez was previously convicted in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas of three counts of gross sexual imposition and received a prison sentence of six years.

    Elmer Edison Rodriguez-Guzman, 46, was in a vehicle that was stopped in Cambridge, Ohio, in July 2024 due to no taillights. Law enforcement officials discovered items including a handgun, a double-barrel shotgun and ammunition. Rodriguez-Guzman was arrested in Guernsey County and then transferred into federal custody.

    On Thursday, a federal grand jury in Columbus indicted Pedro Marquez, 34, who is also known as Peter Marquez, Pedro Ravas Rivas, Alex Rivas Vasquez and Alex Vasquez Rivas. In 2011, Marquez was convicted of participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy and illegally reentering the United States and was sentenced to federal prison. Marquez had conspired with others in the Eastern District of Oklahoma to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Marquez transported, delivered and distributed the drugs on behalf of the conspiracy. He was removed from the United States again in 2016 following his term of imprisonment. Law enforcement found and arrested Marquez in Bloomingburg, Ohio, on Feb. 13.

    Illegally reentering the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to two years in prison. If the offender has a prior felony conviction (or multiple prior misdemeanor convictions of certain types), the penalty is increased to 10 years in prison, and if the offender has been previously convicted of an aggravated felony, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Robert Lynch, Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Tyler J. Aagard, Sheila G. Lafferty and David J. Twombly are representing the United States in these cases.

    Indictments and criminal complaints merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

    These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Southern District of Ohio Immigration Enforcement Task Force, which dedicates agents, attorneys and other staff to investigating and prosecuting immigration violations.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US inflation has increased since Trump took office – why prices are unlikely to come down soon

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Conor O’Kane, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Bournemouth University

    The cost of living crisis, which saw inflation in the US peak at a four-decade high of 9.1% in 2022, played a significant role in determining the outcome of last November’s presidential election.

    Exit polls across ten of the key battleground states showed 32% of voters considered the economy to be the most important election issue. Among that group of voters, a staggering 81% voted for Donald Trump.

    Trump had spent most of his election campaign saying his administration would tackle high prices – even vowing to bring them down on day one. However, the latest figures suggest inflation in the US has increased since he took office, rising unexpectedly to a six-month high of 3% in January.

    This rise is largely because of the economy Trump inherited. But some experts have expressed concerns that his stated economic strategy, including trade tariffs, major tax cuts and lower interest rates, will only add to inflation.

    While tax cuts and interest rate changes are familiar policies, the use of tariffs has been less common in recent decades. These are used by governments to balance trade relationships or in retaliation to tariffs imposed by other countries. They generally make foreign imported goods more expensive while also raising tax revenues for governments.

    The Trump administration has set tariffs of 25% on all steel and aluminium imports, and imposed 10% trade tariffs on a wide range of consumer imports from China. While proposed tariffs of 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada have been temporarily paused, the US has signalled its intention to introduce tariffs on imports from the European Union.

    A General Motors car assembly facility in Ontario, Canada, where economists predict the proposed tariffs would have a catastrophic effect.
    JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock

    Will tariffs lead to inflation?

    Trump’s aides insist the tariffs won’t have a negative impact on American consumers and businesses. On February 18, Peter Navarro, senior counsel for trade and manufacturing at the White House, told the New York Times: “It’s not going to be painful for America. It’s going to be a beautiful thing.”

    Navarro argues that foreign exporters, concerned about losing market share, will reduce the pre-tariff price they charge US importers.

    But economic theory suggests that tariffs generally do lead to higher prices. Peter Lavelle, a trade expert at the UK’s Institute for Fiscal Studies, says that evidence from Trump’s first term – when tariffs were imposed on solar panels, washing machines, steel and aluminium – shows these costs were “almost entirely passed on to domestic consumers”, thus adding to inflation.

    A key reason for the tariffs is to make US domestic manufacturing more competitive on the international stage. This could bring manufacturing jobs back to the US. Manufacturing employment declined by 35% in the US from its peak of 19.6 million in 1979 to 12.8 million in 2020.

    However, there was no evidence of tariffs bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US during Trump’s first term. In fact, manufacturing employment remained static between 2017 and 2021.

    There are fears that tariffs could instead trigger a trade war, where countries retaliate with tariffs of their own. Canadian officials, for instance, have made it clear they will introduce retaliatory tariffs on the US – “selected in order to hit particularly red and purple [Trump-supporting] states”.

    Economists analyse such scenarios using game theory. A trade war takes the form of what economics-speak calls a “non-cooperating Nash equilibrium”, where the economic outcome is negative for all countries involved.

    Some recent modelling on the impact of Trump’s proposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico supports this view. Tariff retaliation is likely to raise inflation rates even further than otherwise in all three economies.

    A trade war could also squeeze profit margins for exporting producers in the US, by making some US-produced goods relatively more expensive. This would show up in lower real income through reduced employment and wages. This outcome, like higher prices, is unlikely to be popular with US voters.


    Given the evidence from Trump’s first term, it is difficult to see how tariffs will be anything but inflationary. Trump’s proposed tax cuts valued at US$5-11 trillion would also add to inflationary pressures, as would the lower interest rates he has called for.

    Ana Swanson, a trade and international economist at the New York Times, believes the threat of tariffs is being used merely as a negotiating strategy. However, like many other economists, Swanson sees uncertainty as the biggest impact of Trump’s tariff policy.

    In a podcast on February 4, she said: “If you, as the business, are watching out for the threat of tariffs, are you going to make an investment in a new factory or hire new workers?” Uncertainty leads to reduced investment and lower growth.

    Realistically, Trump was never going to bring down prices for US consumers. To do that would be deflationary, and economists generally fear deflation even more than inflation. Falling prices lead to deferred spending and can be devastating for economic growth.

    The best outcome for US consumers is that prices increase at a slower rate, close to the US Federal Reserve’s inflation target of 2%. However, given the recent uptick in inflation, as well as Trump’s strategy of tariffs, tax cuts and lower interest rates, the direction of travel all points towards higher price rises.

    Recent evidence from elections in many advanced economies shows that voters do not like inflation, and will punish administrations who are in power during inflationary periods.

    Since inflation peaked in many advanced economies in 2022, more than 70% of incumbent administrations have been voted out of government. Trump should keep this in mind as he embarks on his quest to make America’s economy great again.

    Conor O’Kane does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. US inflation has increased since Trump took office – why prices are unlikely to come down soon – https://theconversation.com/us-inflation-has-increased-since-trump-took-office-why-prices-are-unlikely-to-come-down-soon-249956

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Global biodiversity agreement mobilises $200 billion boost for nature

    Source: United Nations 2

    Climate and Environment

    Governments on Friday reached agreement on a strategy to raise an additional $200 billion each year to better protect the world’s flora and fauna by 2030.

    Delegates met in Rome this week for the resumption of the UN Biodiversity Conference to hammer out an agreement at COP16.2 after attempts to reach a deal on financing at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, fell short last November.

    It is hoped that the hard-won decisions made by parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity will shore up biodiversity and fragile ecosystems which are bearing the brunt of increased conflict, deforestation, mining, toxic waste dumping and other environmental impacts worldwide.

    “We very much welcome this announcement,” the UN Secretary-General’s Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Friday. “We need to mobilise at least $200 billion dollars a year by 2030 to close the global biodiversity finance gap.”

    However, discussions on who pays to protect the Earth’s biodiversity have long been a point of contention, while more than a million plant and animal species are now threatened with extinction.

    © Gregoire Dubois

    Hammering out an agreement

    “These days of work in Rome have demonstrated the commitment of the parties to advance the implementation of the [Kunming-Montreal] Global Biodiversity Framework,” said COP16 president Susana Muhamad, referring to the landmark 2022 agreement and underscoring “the collective effort to reach consensus of key issues that were left pending in Cali”.

    Why is biodiversity important? Read our explainer here.

    Delegates worked through Friday morning following days of intense negotiation and reached decisions on outstanding issues including biodiversity finance, planning, monitoring, reporting and review.

    Negotiators also agreed on a set of indicators to measure global and national progress towards implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework.

    The framework was finalised a little over two years ago – a historic UN-driven agreement to guide global action on nature through to 2030, which was hashed out at meetings in Kunming, China, and Montreal, Canada, in 2022.

    Keeping promises made in Canada and China

    The Global Biodiversity Framework aims to address biodiversity loss, restore ecosystems and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, who suffer disproportionately from biodiversity loss and environmental degradation.

    The global framework also contains concrete measures to halt and reverse nature loss, including protection measures covering 30 per cent of the planet and 30 per cent of degraded ecosystems by 2030.

    Currently only 17 per cent of land and around eight per cent of marine areas are protected.

    “Only by working together can we make peace with nature a reality,” said Ms. Muhamad.

    ‘Multilateralism works’

    Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, said the positive outcome in Rome shows that “multilateralism works” and is “the vehicle to build the partnerships needed to protect biodiversity and move us towards peace with nature”.

    After intense negotiations, parties to the convention agreed on a way forward in terms of resource mobilisation with a view to close the global biodiversity finance gap and achieve the target of at least $200 billion a year by 2030.

    This includes working to improve existing financial tools, especially to provide resources for developing countries, under the temporary leadership of UN agencies and partners.

    “We now have a clear mandate” for implementation, Ms. Schomaker said. “As we do this and implement the other supporting elements for resource mobilisation, the world will have given itself the means to close the biodiversity finance gap.”

    Call for pioneering investors

    On the margins of COP16.2, the Cali Fund, which was created in Colombia in late 2024, was officially launched, ushering in a new era for biodiversity financing.

    “Today’s launch is the culmination of multilateralism that delivers,” said Elizabeth Mrema, Deputy Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

    “The ball is now in the court of businesses around the world. Those who pay into the fund will go down in history as pioneers and will reap the benefits as the public increasingly recognises the importance of giving back to nature.”

    Here’s how the Cali Fund will benefit biodiversity:

    • Companies making commercial use of data from genetic resources in nature in a range of lucrative industries will be expected to contribute a portion of their revenue to the fund
    • Contributions to the Cali Fund will be used to implement the UN Biodiversity Convention, including by supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
    • At least 50 per cent of the Cali Fund resources will be allocated to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, recognising their role as custodians of biodiversity

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Removal of Panama from the list in the annex to Directive (EU) 2018/843 – E-000815/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000815/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Leire Pajín (S&D), Javi López (S&D)

    In connection with Directive (EU) 2018/843 on combating money laundering and terrorist financing, it is important to have an up-to-date list of countries based on strict and adjusted criteria. The Commission last updated this list on 12 December 2023 under the power delegated to it. On 23 April 2024, Parliament rejected the Commission’s proposal to add Kenya and Namibia to the list and to remove Barbados, Gibraltar, Panama, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates.

    Panama is a key partner for the EU and plays a vital role in leadership and stability in the region. On the subject of removing Panama from the list, the Commission stated that the country has no strategic deficiencies in its fight against money laundering and terrorist financing and that it does not pose a significant threat to the EU’s financial system.

    Therefore, in light of the above:

    • 1.When will the Commission present a new proposal for a delegated act to update the list?
    • 2.Is the Commission considering technical measures to make updating the list more streamlined, such as separating countries into regional areas?

    Submitted: 21.2.2025

    Last updated: 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Wildlife Crime in Ecuador: The Hidden Crisis | UNODC Fights Back! 🛑🌿 | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    This World Wildlife Day, we shine a light on a hidden crisis: wildlife crime in Ecuador. From jaguar trafficking to illegal logging in the Amazon, criminals are putting Ecuador’s biodiversity at risk. But hope is not lost—UNODC is training police, park rangers, and legal experts to fight back and protect our most vulnerable species. Watch how frontline defenders are taking action to stop this environmental crime.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTY_AfuAAcA

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Concludes Seventy-Seventh Session after Adopting Concluding Observations on Reports of Croatia, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda and the United Kingdom

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this afternoon concluded its seventy-seventhsession after adopting concluding observationson the reports of Croatia, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda and the United Kingdom under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights .

    The concluding observations will be transmitted to the States concerned and made available on the webpage of the session   on the afternoon of Monday, 3 March.

    Laura-MariaCraciunean-Tatu, Committee Chair, said that during the intense session, in addition to engaging with five States parties, the Committee had considered two follow-up reports; adopted three lists of issues on Cabo Verde, North Macedonia and Turkmenistan; conducted work on communications under the Optional Protocol; and discussed one draft and two future general comments and one statement.

    Ms. Craciunean-Tatu said that this session, the Committee had welcomed four new members, and would formally welcome its fifth, Peijie Chen (China), in its next session. Despite the discontinuance of formal hybrid meetings, the Committee continued to engage with a wide range of stakeholders in person and remotely outside of formal meeting time. Ms. Craciunean-Tatu expressed thanks to all those who worked to promote and protect the rights enshrined in the Covenant.

    During the session, she said, the Committee adopted assessments on the follow-up reports to concluding observations for Serbia and Uzbekistan. The assessments would be transmitted to the States concerned and made available publicly in the weeks to come. The Committee urged other States to submit follow-up reports which were overdue or due.

    Under the Optional Protocol, the Committee adopted decisions relating to 48 individual communications. It found violations of the Covenant in three cases concerning the right to housing; declared admissible one case on alleged violation of the right to work of a human rights defender; and declared inadmissible two cases on alleged unequal pay for overtime in teaching-related activities and alleged wage discrimination. The Committee further discontinued the consideration of 42 cases concerning the right to housing. Finally, it adopted a follow-up progress report on individual communications.

    Ms. Craciunean-Tatu saidthe Committee had adopted a Statement on Tax Policy and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It hoped that this statement would guide States parties, both domestically and in the context of international tax cooperation, to observe increasingly inclusive and transparent tax policy-making processes, thus encouraging the implementation of tax systems that supported the enjoyment of the rights enshrined in the Covenant, with a focus on disadvantaged and marginalised groups.

    Regarding general comments, the Committee completed a second reading of the draft general comment on the environmental dimension of sustainable development, and continued discussing the scope of two general comments on drug policy and on armed conflict as they related to the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights. These discussions would continue at the next session.

    During the session, Ms. Craciunean-Tatu said, the Committee held an informal meeting with States on 20 February and engaged in discussion on all aspects of its work. In addition to the numerous contacts the Committee had with civil society organizations, it also held this morning its annual meeting with non-governmental organizations, in which it heard their views on several important topics, including strategic litigation and the right to a clean and healthy environment.

    Ms. Craciunean-Tatu also said that the Committee had held informal meetings with other stakeholders, including with treaty body members, United Nations agencies and the Special Rapporteurs on climate change and in the field of cultural rights. The engagement of all concerned was deeply appreciated.

    In its next session, she said, in addition to reviewing the reports of seven States parties, the Committee would adopt lists of issues on the reports of Eswatini, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova and Tunisia. It would also adopt assessments on the follow-up reports of El Salvador and Luxembourg.

    This session, the Committee reaffirmed its decision to implement a simplified reporting procedure and had requested the Secretariat to prepare a structured implementation plan, Ms. Craciunean-Tatu said. However, until such a plan was operationalised, she encouraged States parties to submit reports under the regular reporting procedure, including long overdue reports.

    The Committee had not yet held dialogues with 24 States parties that had not submitted their initial reports, of which five were overdue for more than 10 years. In total, 51 States’ periodic reports were also overdue, at least 16 of which for more than 10 years. The capacity building programme established pursuant to the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/268 (2014) was available to offer support to States requiring technical assistance in this regard, including with respect to the establishment of national mechanisms for reporting implementation and follow-up.

    Ms. Craciunean-Tatu invited all States to ratify the Covenant and encouraged States that were parties to the Covenant but had not acceded to or ratified the Optional Protocol to do so, and to enter the declarations for its articles 10 and 11. She welcomed the accession, two weeks ago, of Albania to the Optional Protocol.

    In closing, Ms. Craciunean-Tatu thanked the Committee and all who had contributed to the busy session. The Committee looked forward to, in its next session, holding dialogues with States, pursuing other work, and engaging with a wide variety of stakeholders to achieve the effective promotion and protection of all the rights enshrined in the Covenant.

    In its seventy-eighth session, to be held from 8 September to 3 October 2025, the Committee will review the reports of Australia, Chile, Colombia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Netherlands, Russian Federation and Zimbabwe.

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CESCR25.007E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE San Diego arrests Guatemalan national with criminal history

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    February 28, 2025San Diego, CA, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

    SAN DIEGO — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Selvin Perez Thomas, a 24-year-old Guatemalan citizen Feb. 26. Perez has a history of criminal offenses, including driving under the influence, hit-and-run causing death or injury, and conspiracy to file a fraudulent insurance claim.

    Perez has been deported from the U.S. twice. He is currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in California on X at @EROSanDiego.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rafael Caro Quintero “Narco of Narcos” and Murderer of DEA Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, Former Leader of the Juarez Cartel, Expelled to the United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Both Defendants Face Mandatory Life Imprisonment, and Could Face the Death Penalty, if Convicted

    Rafael Caro Quintero (Caro Quintero) and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes (Carrillo Fuentes), both citizens of Mexico, were arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn today for crimes committed as leaders of Mexican drug cartels, which were responsible for significant drug trafficking into the United States and acts of extreme violence—including, with respect to Caro Quintero, the 1985 kidnapping, torture, and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena—over a period of decades.  Caro Quintero was arraigned on a third superseding indictment charging him with four counts: one count of leading a Continuing Criminal Enterprise, which includes ten violations, including a murder conspiracy; two counts of international narcotics distribution conspiracy; and one count of unlawful use of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.  Carrillo Fuentes was arraigned on a superseding indictment charging him with seven counts: one count of leading a Continuing Criminal Enterprise, which includes six violations, including a murder conspiracy; four counts of cocaine distribution conspiracy; one count of unlawful use of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking; and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Both Caro Quintero and Carrillo Fuentes were arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levy after being expelled from Mexico to the Eastern District of New York.  

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations New York (HSI) announced the arraignments.

    “For decades, Rafael Caro Quintero and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes have flooded the United States and other countries with drugs, violence, and mayhem, killing so many in their quest for power and control, including in RCQ’s case the brutal torture and murder of DEA Special Agent Camarena,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “Today the next step in the American legal proceedings against these two cartel leaders—Caro Quintero, the “Narco of Narcos,” and Carrillo Fuentes, the head of the Juarez Cartel—are finally underway, and we are one step closer to justice being served.  My Office continues to be steadfastly focused on the vital work of protecting people of this district, and of all of those in the United States, from the destruction that cartels wreak on our communities.”

    “Today marks a day which will be remembered in the history of the DEA. For nearly four decades, the men and women of the DEA have pursued Rafael Caro Quintero, the man responsible for the kidnapping, torture, and death of fallen DEA Special Agent Kiki Camarena, and the leader of one the most notorious and violent drug cartels. Today, Rafael Caro Quintero will finally face the consequences for the crimes he committed” stated DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “No matter how long it takes, or where you hide, the DEA remains patient and committed in our global pursuit to targeting those individuals who have brought violence and destruction to our communities. The DEA will make sure justice is delivered.”

    “Make no mistake: the world is undoubtedly a safer place with these men in custody in the United States. Carrillo-Fuentes and Rafael Caro Quintero are merciless terrorists who used fear as a tactic to intimidate their rivals and the public. ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agents and personnel with our El Dorado Task Force have dedicated years to investigating the alleged crimes and bloodshed at the hands of these defendants,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso.

    Rafael Caro Quintero

    Caro Quintero was first indicted in the Eastern District of New York in 2015, and a third superseding indictment was returned against him in 2018. As alleged in the indictment and other public filings, Caro Quintero’s involvement in drug trafficking and violence is extensive, ruthless, and notorious.  Known as the “Narco of Narcos,” Caro Quintero started cultivating marijuana as a teenager in Mexico in the 1960s and developed transportation and distribution networks and routes that enabled him to move that marijuana into the United States.  Caro Quintero also manufactured and trafficked heroin and methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States.  Caro Quintero then joined with Colombian cocaine manufacturers to use his networks and routes to traffic cocaine from South America, through Central America and Mexico, into the United States.  By the 1970s, Caro Quintero’s organization became known as the Guadalajara Cartel, which ultimately joined the syndicate known as the “Sinaloa Cartel” (or Mexican “Federation”), the largest drug trafficking organization in the world.

    In 1985, Caro Quintero ordered the kidnapping, torture, and murder of DEA Special Agent Camarena.  Caro Quintero believed Camarena was responsible for leading the Mexican government to seize Caro Quintero’s largest ranch in Chihuahua, Rancho Buffalo.  Caro Quintero’s men abducted Camarena and took him to a location where he was tortured and interrogated for approximately two days, after which Caro Quintero and his men killed Camarena.

    Later in 1985, Caro Quintero went to prison in Mexico. Nevertheless, from 1985 to 2013, while in prison, Caro Quintero continued operating his drug trafficking organization (the “Caro Quintero DTO”), using family members and associates on the outside to assist him.  The Caro Quintero DTO trafficked large quantities of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin into the United States.  After his release from prison in 2013, Caro Quintero went into hiding and continued running the Caro Quintero DTO from various locations in the mountains of Sinaloa.  The Sinaloa Cartel provided Caro Quintero with protection during this time.   

    Caro Quintero and the members and associates of his organization carried firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking activities, including pistols and AK-47s.  Caro Quintero himself carried a Colt .38 Super pistol with a diamond encrusted handle and “R-1” written in gold.

    Vincente Carrillo Fuentes

    Carrillo Fuentes was first indicted in the Eastern District of New York in 2009, with superseding charges filed in 2019.  As alleged in the indictment and other public filings, Carrillo Fuentes and his brother, Amado Carrillo Fuentes, led the infamous Juarez Cartel for more than two decades.  Under the leadership of Carrillo Fuentes, the Juarez Cartel dominated and controlled drug trafficking through the El Paso-Ciudad Juarez corridor and used its control of the Texas-Mexico border to deliver multi-ton shipments of cocaine throughout the United States, including to locations in New York, Texas, California, and Illinois.

    Until approximately 2004, Carrillo Fuentes and the Juarez Cartel were aligned with the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the largest transnational criminal organizations in the world.  The two organizations worked collectively, partnering in drug shipments and sharing infrastructure as they trafficked tons of cocaine into the United States.  Throughout this partnership, Carrillo Fuentes and his associates corrupted public officials and taxed other drug-trafficking organizations as they asserted their control over the all-important El Paso-Ciudad Juarez corridor.  When this partnership finally splintered—and Carrillo Fuentes and the Juarez Cartel split from the Sinaloa Cartel and realigned with the rival drug traffickers such as the Zetas—Mexico was plunged into a decade of war and bloodshed.  Carrillo Fuentes was at the center of this chaos, initially as the commander of the Juarez Cartel’s sicarios (the Spanish term for contract killers) and soldiers, and then later as the leader of the entire Juarez Cartel.

    * * * * *

    The government’s cases against Caro Quintero and Carrillo Fuentes are part of the operations of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The charges in the indictments are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  Both defendants face mandatory life sentences and, if convicted, could face the death penalty.

    The government’s cases against Caro Quintero and Carrillo Fuentes are being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Saritha Komatireddy, Francisco J. Navarro, Erin Reid, and Andrew Wang are in charge of the prosecution of Caro Quintero, and Assistant United States Attorneys Erik D. Paulsen and Miranda Gonzalez are in charge of the prosecution of Carrillo Fuentes.  Asset forfeiture matters for both cases are being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brendan King.  Paralegal Specialists Melissa Bennett and Huda Abouchaer provided assistance on both cases.  

    The Defendants:

    RAFAEL CARO QUINTERO
    Age: 72
    Sonora, Mexico

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-208 (FB)

    VICENTE CARRILLO FUENTES
    Age:  62
    Sinaloa, Mexico

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 09-CR-522 (JMA)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: EU Archives: first European climate law, Haiti after the earthquake, women’s rights in Brussels

    Source: European Commission (video statements)

    Have you ever wondered what the European Union was up to 50 years ago? Dive with us into the European Commission’s audiovisual archives and discover important anniversaries with our new weekly AV history teaser!

    Upcoming anniversaries in the teaser:

    · 1975: Death of Joseph Bech – Founding Father of the EU
    · 2010: Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva visits Haiti after the earthquake
    · 2020: First European climate law adopted
    · 2024: Women’s rights march in Brussels

    Get the complete material from our archive:
    https://europa.eu/!XC46QH
    https://europa.eu/!Wk36xm
    https://europa.eu/!Tu74QB
    https://europa.eu/!wq6Drr

    Watch on the Audiovisual Portal of the European Commission:
    Follow us on:
    -X: https://twitter.com/EU_Commission
    -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/europeancommission/
    -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanCommission
    -LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/european-commission/
    -Medium: https://medium.com/@EuropeanCommission

    Check our website: http://ec.europa.eu/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEjphEDlFHo

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Graham Introduce Legislation to Ban Horse Slaughter

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced the introduction of the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, legislation to permanently ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. The bill would also prohibit the export of live horses to Mexican and Canadian slaughterhouses to be sold overseas. Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) lead companion legislation in the House.
    “I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation to permanently ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Unlike cattle, horses aren’t raised as food animals in the United States,” said Senator Luján. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this bill to protect our nation’s horses while maintaining support for meat and poultry markets.”
    “The slaughter of horses for human consumption is barbaric and has no place in America,” said Representative Buchanan. “As Co-Chairman of the Animal Protection Caucus, I look forward to continuing to lead this effort with Congresswoman Schakowsky to protect these beautiful creatures.”
    “As a former horse owner, I have been a leader in efforts to ban horse slaughter in the United States for many years,” said Representative Schakowsky. “I am once again partnering with Congressman Vern Buchanan in introducing the SAFE Act to amend the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 to prohibit the slaughter of equines for human consumption, both domestically and abroad. It is beyond time to end this brutal and dangerous practice. Horses are not food. As a proud animal lover, we owe it to our horse companions to protect their welfare.”
    The SAFE Act would make it illegal to slaughter, transport, possess, purchase, sell or donate horses, donkeys and burros for human consumption. Although the practice of slaughtering horses for human consumption is currently illegal in the United States, the ban is temporary and subject to annual congressional review and no federal law exists to prohibit the transport of horses across America’s borders for slaughter in Canada or Mexico.
    The SAFE Act is cosponsored by over 100 bipartisan members of Congress. The SAFE Act has received the support of the Humane World Action Fund, the ASPCA, the Animal Welfare Institute, the U.S. Harness Racing Alumni Association, the Jockey Club and Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation.
    “The pipeline to slaughter is a death sentence for horses, subjecting them to unimaginable suffering. These majestic animals, who have helped build this nation, are deserving of compassion and kindness, not cruelty. It’s time to end their horrifying journey to slaughter, where many suffer brutal abuse long before they arrive. Horse slaughter for human consumption is an industry that shows a complete disregard for these loyal and noble animals. We call on lawmakers to support Senators Graham and Luján and Representatives Buchanan and Schakowsky in their efforts to pass the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act and put an end to this inhumane practice once and for all,” said Sara Amundson, President, Humane World Action Fund.
    “Although the overall decline in American horses being exported for human consumption is a sign of progress, more than 19,000 horses are still being trucked across the border each year as part of the predatory horse slaughter pipeline. This industry needs to be shut down once and for all. We are immensely grateful to Congressman Buchanan, Congresswoman Schakowsky, Senator Graham, and Senator Luján for their outstanding leadership on the SAFE Act and we hope that Congress will move quickly to protect America’s horses from slaughter,” said Susan Millward, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Animal Welfare Institute.
    “Despite overwhelming public opposition to horse slaughter, a legal loophole still allows tens of thousands of American horses to be shipped to other countries for slaughter each year. Not only is horse slaughter cruel and unnecessary, but the existence of the slaughter pipeline itself stifles rescue and rehoming efforts, putting equine welfare at risk. Equine industry and animal welfare groups are working daily to solve equine welfare issues on the ground, but we cannot fully succeed while the slaughter pipeline remains open. We are so grateful to Senators Graham and Luján and Representatives Buchanan and Schakowsky for their dedication to starting a new chapter for America’s equines and championing the SAFE Act to secure an end to horse slaughter,” said Nancy Perry, Senior Vice President of Government Relations, ASPCA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: February 28th, 2025 Heinrich, Luján Introduce Bill to Strengthen Safeguards That Prevent Public Officials From Using Their Power for Political Gain, Protect Integrity of Government

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the Hatch Act Enforcement Transparency and Accountability Act. This legislation strengthens Congressional oversight of the Hatch Act, particularly in instances when the Office of the Special Counsel decides to forgo enforcement. Congressman Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) leads companion legislation in the House of Representatives. 

    “With President Trump and Elon Musk hellbent on misusing the federal government for their own personal gains and vendettas, it’s never been more important that Congress strengthen the laws we have in place to improve transparency and accountability for the American people. I’m proud to support this bill to hold this administration and future administrations accountable to ensure government works for New Mexico families — not Republicans’ billionaire friends,” said Senator Heinrich. 

    “The Hatch Act is designed to prevent public officials from using their position for political gain. Now, at this critical moment, the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk have shown the American people the importance of accountability and protecting the rule of law,” said Senator Luján. “That is why I am proud to reintroduce my legislation that increases enforcement of the Hatch Act by providing clarity and Congressional oversight for any potential abuses. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this legislation to increase accountability of this administration and future ones, and to ensure Americans can have confidence in the public servants who work for them.”

    “Unchecked political influence from powerful individuals like President Trump and Elon Musk poses a real threat to our democracy. When these figures and their associates are allowed to operate without consequences or when they attempt to pressure nonpartisan federal workers to serve their political interests, it puts the integrity of our government on the line,” said Congressman Garcia. “We can’t just sit back and let those in power break the rules that keep our government fair and unbiased. That is why I am proud to lead this bill in the House to make sure these individuals are held accountable and to ensure the Hatch Act is enforced.”

    “We need greater transparency at the Office of Special Counsel. This bill will better ensure the OSC can hold career official and political appointees accountable when they violate the law meant to keep partisan politics out of the federal government,” said Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, Senior Government Affairs Manager, Project On Government Oversight (POGO).

    The Hatch Act was enacted in 1939 to prohibit federal employees from participating in specific political activities. The law aims to maintain nonpartisanship in the federal government’s operations, shield federal employees from political influence, and uphold merit-based promotions over political affiliations. However, the U.S Office of Special Counsel, which investigates and prosecutes violations of the Hatch Act, has at times failed to properly enforce this critical statue. 

    This legislation is endorsed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and The Project on Government Oversight (POGO).

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: February 28th, 2025 Heinrich Staff to Hold Mobile Office Hours in Las Cruces

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    LAS CRUCES, N.M. — In an ongoing effort to provide top-notch constituent service, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich’s (D-N.M.) staff will hold in-person Mobile Office Hours at an America’s Job Center event in Las Cruces on Friday, March 7, from 2 p.m. MT to 5 p.m. MT. 

    Staff will be on hand to assist residents who have questions regarding Social Security benefits, Medicare, Medicaid, immigration, veteran’s benefits, student loans, and other federal programs. 

    Constituents who are not able to attend Mobile Office Hours can visit the Helping You section of Senator Heinrich’s website at www.Heinrich.Senate.Gov. For additional information, please contact Senator Heinrich’s Las Cruces Office at (575) 523-6561.

    Las Cruces, Doña Ana County Mobile Office Hours – Friday, March 7

    WHO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich’s Staff  

    WHEN: From 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. MT  

    WHERE: 226 S. Alameda Blvd. Las Cruces, N.M. 88005

    View the English PSA for Mobile Office Hours: VIDEO

    View the Spanish PSA for Mobile Office Hours: VIDEO

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Arrested And Charged With Possession Of Fraudulent Green Card And Illegal Re-Entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Mario Antonio Mejia-Calderon (34, Honduras) with possession of a fraudulent permanent resident card – or “green card” – and illegal re-entry by a previously deported alien. If convicted on both counts, Mejia-Calderon faces a maximum penalty of 12 years in federal prison. Mejia-Calderon was arrested and ordered detained while awaiting trial.

    According to the indictment, on January 24, 2025, Mejia-Calderon was found unlawfully present in the United States after having been deported on June 11, 2013. On that same day, he also possessed a counterfeit green card. 

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. 

    This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Coolican.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Indicted For Unlawful Transportation Of Aliens And Illegal Re-Entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Timoteo Son-Gonzalez (40), a Guatemalan national, with unlawful transportation of an illegal alien for the purpose of financial gain and illegal re-entry by a previously deported alien. If convicted on all counts, Son-Gonzalez faces a maximum penalty of 12 years in federal prison. 

    According to the indictment, in February 2025, Son-Gonzalez transported an alien for financial gain, knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that the alien had come to, entered, and remained in the United States in violation of the law. The indictment also alleges that Son-Gonzalez was found to be unlawfully present in the U.S. after having been removed in June 2024.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. 

    This case was investigated by the United States Customs and Border Patrol. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Costa Rica: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Consultation Mission

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    February 28, 2025

    A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

    The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    San José: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team, led by Mr. Ding Ding, held the 2025 Article IV consultation with the Costa Rican authorities during February 18-28. At the conclusion of the discussions, Mr. Ding issued the following statement:

    Costa Rica is one of the fastest-growing economies in the Western Hemisphere, achieving notable economic success in recent years. GDP growth has averaged above 5 percent since 2021, outpacing regional peers and contributing to lower poverty and unemployment. Over the same period, public debt fell by an impressive 8 percentage points of GDP to below 60 percent of GDP. These successes are fruits of good macroeconomic policies, wide-ranging reforms in the context of becoming a member of the OECD, two successfully completed IMF-supported programs, and a strategic focus on exports and economic diversification. Growth is projected to remain strong at about 4 percent for 2025.

    Inflation is showing encouraging signs of returning towards the inflation target, following decisive monetary policy easing by the BCCR. Having been near zero since mid-2024, headline inflation has begun to rise and is projected to reach the BCCR’s tolerance band in mid-2025 and the 3 percent target within a year. However, core inflation remains subdued and there are downside risks, primarily stemming from low inflation expectations becoming entrenched below the target. Upside risks could arise from possible commodity price increases and/or supply-side disruptions.

    The BCCR’s forward-looking data-dependent approach has proven effective and its inflation targeting regime is working well. At the current monetary policy rate, inflation is expected to be 3 percent by 2026Q1. If the convergence of inflation to the 3 percent target weakens in the coming months, there is room for the BCCR to cut the policy rate further. Credit growth has been strong. If there are signs of excess credit growth especially associated with FX loans, macroprudential measures should be tightened to mitigate potential risks to financial stability.

    It is important to further strengthen the BCCR’s autonomy, governance, and operational framework. This would be achieved by approving legislative proposals to improve BCCR governance, transparency, and accountability, and institutionalize the central bank’s de facto autonomy.

    The exchange rate should be allowed to adjust more flexibly to market conditions. The BCCR accumulated US$ 920 million in international reserves during 2024, and reserve coverage is now comfortable by multiple metrics. A further accumulation of international reserves is unwarranted and would impose unnecessary costs over time. Moreover, frequent foreign exchange intervention can weaken monetary policy transmission and hinder foreign exchange market development. Concerted efforts including legal reforms are needed to deepen FX markets and strengthen the non-financial public sector’s ability to manage currency risks, reducing its reliance on the BCCR as an intermediary for FX transactions. Alongside the planned reform to restructure existing pension funds into generational funds, regulatory limits on foreign investments by local pension funds need to be updated. Adjustments to these limits should be phased in and supported by FX market development.

    There is scope to further capitalize on the significant progress on financial sector oversight. Indicators of financial soundness remain comfortable, notwithstanding the resolution of two small non-bank financial institutions last year. These episodes highlighted the importance of a strong supervisory and resolution framework. The Legislative Assembly should, therefore, pass the proposed amendments to the bank resolution and deposit insurance law that would further strengthen supervisory and resolution powers and enhance the crisis management framework.

    Although public debt fell to below 60 percent of GDP in 2024, the task of rebuilding fiscal space is not yet complete. The debt ratio fell in part due to some drawdown of cash balances and transfers of cash balances by decentralized and autonomous entities to the Treasury Single Account (which lowered financing needs). However, the primary surplus fell in 2024 due to temporary factors and the regrettable reductions of the vehicle property tax (marchamo) and corporate tax base. An unwinding of temporary factors is expected to help the primary balance rise to around 1½ percent of GDP this year. A higher primary balance is essential to bring debt down further, reduce interest costs, and create room for additional spending. While spending should be less than the ceiling permitted by the fiscal rule, the higher primary balance should still allow for some increases in priority areas like infrastructure, child and adult care (which will help boost female labor market participation), and investments in skills training for vulnerable groups (which will help reduce dependency on social assistance).

    Tax reforms could improve the fairness and efficiency of the system while raising resources for both debt reduction and somewhat higher spending. However, revenue-increasing bills presented over the last five years that would also have increased progressivity and bolstered dynamism have not been viewed favorably by legislators. These have included proposals to reduce VAT and income tax exemptions (such as on the salario escolar and for lottery winnings) and to bring income from self-employment, salaries, and pensions under a single threshold while raising the top marginal rate. These bills warrant renewed consideration as higher revenues would allow faster increases in social and capital spending. At the same time, we are worried that various Legislative Assembly bills are reducing revenues.

    Full implementation of the public employment bill and debt management reforms would improve spending quality and reduce interest costs. Legislative proposals aimed at amending the public employment law could significantly undermine progress in containing the public-sector wage bill. Institutions that have not yet fully implemented the public employment law should do so without further delay to ensure its benefits are broadened to beyond the central government. Legal reforms to permit access to international sovereign debt markets and grant the executive branch more flexibility in issuing external debt would also be valuable. There have been welcome improvements in the quality of government finance statistics, which are expected to be used in the setting of fiscal policies.

    A comprehensive solution is needed to resolve the dispute between Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF) over social security claims. The outstanding claim is due to an unfunded expansion of beneficiaries and CCSS’s unilateral decisions to raise the government’s contribution. Addressing this issue requires urgent improvements in the CCSS’s registry systems so as to allow for an accurate tracking of outlays and beneficiaries. Moreover, the CCSS and the MoF should clarify the scope of healthcare services and pension benefits that are currently covered by the budget while identifying additional funding sources as needed to ensure that the healthcare and pension systems are actuarially sound. Strengthening CCSS governance will be essential to ensure that any future changes to the social security system include a thorough assessment of the fiscal and labor market implications of such changes. There is also scope to enhance the accountability of the CCSS, the transparency of their operations, and the simplicity of the system, in line with international best practice. These reforms will be critical to safeguard the long-run sustainability of the social security system as the population ages.

    Advancing supply-side reforms can help sustain Costa Rica’s impressive economic performance by addressing key bottlenecks to growth. To tackle skill shortages, particularly in high-tech industries, it is essential to accelerate efforts to reduce skills mismatches, align school curricula with industry needs, promote dual education (including apprenticeship programs) and bilingual education, and improve adult secondary education graduation rates. The recent reduction of the minimum contribution base for part-time workers has helped encourage formal employment but there is scope to lower the high tax wedge on labor, substituting for alternative revenue sources. Enhancing infrastructure quality and maintenance would further strengthen potential growth. In this regard, integrating climate considerations into public investment decisions is already making infrastructure more resilient against natural disasters. Given the substantial additional funding needed to upgrade infrastructure, approving and implementing the new legislation on public private partnerships is critical. Additionally, ongoing reforms to facilitate private-sector electricity provision, including diversification into non-hydroelectric renewables, will make electricity more affordable and less vulnerable to fluctuations in rainfall.

    The IMF team is grateful to the Costa Rican authorities and other counterparts for the productive discussions and hospitality during the mission.

    Costa Rica: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Projections

    2022

    2023

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    Output and Prices

    (Annual percentage change)

    Real GDP

    4.6

    5.1

    4.3

    3.9

    3.8

    3.6

    GDP deflator

    6.3

    -0.1

    0.0

    2.9

    3.2

    3.2

    Consumer prices (period average)

    8.3

    0.5

    -0.4

    2.0

    3.0

    3.0

    Savings and Investment

    (In percent of GDP)

    Gross domestic saving

    14.4

    13.8

    14.3

    14.1

    14.1

    14.3

    Gross domestic investment

    17.7

    15.3

    15.7

    15.7

    15.7

    15.8

    External Sector

    Current account balance

    -3.3

    -1.4

    -1.4

    -1.6

    -1.6

    -1.5

    Trade balance

    -6.7

    -3.7

    -2.7

    -3.0

    -2.8

    -3.1

    Financial account balance

    -2.5

    -0.7

    -0.7

    -1.6

    -1.5

    -1.5

    Foreign direct investment, net

    -4.4

    -4.3

    -4.0

    -5.3

    -5.5

    -5.4

    Gross international reserves (millions of U.S. dollars)

    8,724

    13,261

    14,181

    15,056

    16,077

    16,827

    External debt

    50.7

    43.3

    38.6

    35.5

    33.3

    30.9

    Public Finances

    Central government primary balance

    2.1

    1.6

    1.1

    1.5

    1.6

    1.7

    Central government overall balance

    -2.8

    -3.2

    -3.8

    -3.0

    -2.7

    -2.3

    Central government debt

    63.0

    61.1

    59.8

    59.4

    58.4

    57.1

    Money and Credit

    Credit to the private sector (percent change)

    3.3

    1.9

    6.4

    7.5

    7.0

    7.0

    Monetary base 1/

    8.0

    7.9

    8.0

    8.0

    8.0

    8.0

    Broad money

    47.5

    47.4

    49.4

    50.1

    50.3

    50.9

    Memorandum Items

    Nominal GDP (billions of colones) 2/

    44,810

    47,059

    49,116

    52,531

    56,237

    60,132

    Output gap (as percent of potential GDP)

    -0.3

    1.0

    0.6

    0.5

    0.4

    0.2

    GDP per capita (US$)

    13,240

    16,390

    17,901

    19,013

    20,009

    21,045

    Unemployment rate

    11.7

    7.3

    6.9

    8.0

    8.5

    9.0

    Sources: Central Bank of Costa Rica, and Fund staff estimates.

    1/ Includes currency issued and required reserves.

    2/ National account data reflect the revision of the benchmark year to 2017 for the chained volume measures, published in January 2021.
    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Meera Louis

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: I studied the evidence behind theories of Oscar success – here’s what I found

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andre Spicer, Professor of Organisational Behaviour, Bayes Business School, City St George’s, University of London

    When Oscar-winning screenwriter William Goldman was asked whether it was possible to predict a hit film, he responded with three words that have become a Hollywood maxim: “Nobody knows anything.” He went on to explain that “not one person in the entire motion picture field knows for a certainty what’s going to work”.

    Although Goldman’s famous phrase might resonate through the film business, it doesn’t stop people cooking up theories around which films might succeed at the annual Academy of Motion Picture Awards. Over the years, a range of theories have appeared, including: Oscar winners are not always the best films; there is an Oscar-worthy format that winners follow; and that winning an Oscar is actually a long-term curse.

    Although there is a great deal of speculation about such theories, it’s less clear what the evidence actually says about them. To find out, I took a look at the rapidly growing field of “Oscarology” – the scientific study of the Academy Awards.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    One common theory is that it is entirely predictable who the Oscars will go to. Interestingly, this seems to have some truth to it. One statistical analysis found that by tracking a range of factors, it was possible to predict the winner of the Academy Awards in the four major categories with an overall accuracy of 69%.

    Nickel Boys, one of the best picture nominees.

    Factors which go into making these predictions include whether the nominee won a Golden Globe or Directors Guild award, and their previous nominations for an Oscar. Past success is a strong indicator of future success, with one important exception: having previously won an Academy Award means a nominee for best actor or best actress is much less likely to win again.

    A second theory is that winning an Oscar is a golden ticket to big financial rewards. This is indeed correct. A study found there is a substantial boost in US box office earnings following a win in the the best supporting actor/actress, best actor/actress and best picture categories.

    Best picture nominee Conclave stars Ralph Fiennes, also nominated for best actor.

    Further research has found that Oscar nominations really make a positive impact on box office receipts – while actually winning the award gives a more modest boost. Interestingly, winning an award does not always translate to success in other parts the world. One study found that Oscar winners that were comedies performed better in Asian markets, but dramas performed worse.

    The next theory is the idea that Oscar winners follow a particular format. Researchers have indeed found there is an Oscar-worthy format which some filmmakers follow. The “Oscar bait” format uses genres like war movies, historical epics and biographies, as well as plot elements such as war crimes, disabilities, political intrigue and show business.

    Mikey Madison, star of best picture nominee Anora, is also up for best actress.

    However, making a film using this Oscar-worthy format is not a guarantee of success. Films employing this concept which were nominated for an award received significantly greater financial returns. However, those using the Oscar-bait format which missed out on a nomination typically made large losses.

    Then comes the theory that winning an Oscar is more about the quality of networks rather than the quality of the film. Again, there is some truth to this. Researchers have found that one way to improve the chances of winning an Oscar is to be part of film industry networks and work alongside people who have already won awards.

    As well as a best picture nomination, Wicked’s Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are also nominated.

    There are some indicators that Oscars do not necessarily go to the best-quality movies. One analysis which compared Oscar winners to lists of 100 best movies of all time found that only 26% of films which appeared on all three main lists of best movies were also Oscar winners.

    This research also notes that some movies which are staples of lists of classic movies (such as Singing in the Rain) were not even nominated for the best picture Oscar. What this suggests is that winning an Oscar does not always mean a film will be seen as a classic – and vice versa.

    Best picture nominee I’m Still Here sees Brazilian Fernanda Torres nominated for best actress.

    The final theory is that there is an “Oscar curse” – that winning an Oscar leads to personal and professional tragedy. This theory is largely incorrect. Researchers have found that Oscar winners live about one year longer than their less successful peers. Others have found that winning an Academy Award leads to greater professional success, with Oscar winners and nominees appearing in more films than their non-winning peers.

    However, one area of truth in the idea of an Oscar curse is for men in their personal lives. Nominees and winners of the best actor award had a higher divorce rate than their peers.

    Theories around the Oscars may prove to be not entirely correct – but they do provide a useful approximation of which films will triumph. Past performance, social networks and formula-following all seem to be good indicators of who will succeed. Perhaps Goldman’s advice that “no one knows anything” is not entirely true.

    Andre Spicer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. I studied the evidence behind theories of Oscar success – here’s what I found – https://theconversation.com/i-studied-the-evidence-behind-theories-of-oscar-success-heres-what-i-found-251085

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –